Baghdad, IRAQ -Iraq's presidential council has agreed on a law which paves the way for US-backed provincial elections to be held by the end of January, a spokesman said. Al-Ani says the panel led by President Jalal Talabani decided to approve the law on Monday but did not sign it due to Islamic holidays.

The spokesman for the panel, Nasser al-Ani, said the law had gained unanimous approval from the three-member panel.

The move is a breakthrough for US-led efforts to promote reconciliation, although two divisive issues were not addressed: the status of the oil-rich region around Kirkuk and representation of minorities.

Rev. Jacob Yasso was born in the village of Telkaif, Iraq. After completing high school he was recruited to Rome and Urbaniana University where he completed his Masters Degree in philosophy and Theology. Fr. Yasso was ordained a priest in 1960 and served the Diocese of Mosul, where he worked in the public school system. Fr. Yasso was also asked by the Patriarch to teach at the Patriarchal Seminary in Baghdad, where he served as administrator, professor of philosophy and religious life, and rector of the minor seminary.

In 1964, Fr. Yasso was appointed to the United States to serve the growing Chaldean community in Detroit. There he served as the 4th Pastor of Mother of God Parish. . In 1972, the Patriarch charged Fr. Yasso with building a new parish for the Chaldeans in Detroit. In taking great pains to care for the community Fr. Yasso accelerated the development of a new church and community center. In 1975, Fr. Yasso completed the development of Sacred Heart Parish in Detroit and shortly thereafter he added the Chaldean Center of America in 1980,

A few years later in 1982, Fr. Yasso was asked to assist the late Fr. Kattoula at St. Peter’s Church in San Diego, CA. Before long, Fr. Yasso was once again recruited to Rome to study new Canon Law of the Church. While in Rome Fr. Yasso completed his third Masters Degree in Church Law, making him the only Chaldean priest trained in Canon Law.

In 1988, the Patriarch and Vatican authorities asked Fr. Yasso to travel to Canada and establish a parish and community center. While there he served as a Tribunal Judge for the Archdiocese of Toronto. Four years later Fr. Yasso returned to Sacred Heart church in Detroit to help care for the remaining Chaldean community residence in the Detroit area. To this day, Fr. Yasso continues to serve as the parish pastor creating activities and advising the City of Detroit on community related matters.

Fr. Yasso is a member of the International WYCLIF Bible translators, since 1975, and has completed the translation of the New Testament from Greek and Aramaic into Arabic and spoken Chaldean. The publication of his scholarly work is set to be released soon.